


Knock Knock

by nanuk_dain



Series: Drift Compatible [12]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: M/M, Team Hot Dads, embarrassed Hermann
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 09:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3404978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanuk_dain/pseuds/nanuk_dain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr Hermann Gottlieb isn't somebody who walks into a room without knocking on the door first, but he learns that even that doesn't always help to prevent awkward situations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knock Knock

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeganMoonlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganMoonlight/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Anytime](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3393950) by [MeganMoonlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganMoonlight/pseuds/MeganMoonlight). 



> This is just a funny wee interlude, really. It's all MeganMoonlight's fault, because she inspired it with a comment in her fic [Anytime](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3393950) which is also part of the Drift Compatible verse- it was just too good to leave it XD Thank you for the inspiration, hon!
> 
> Also, I want to apologise for the long time it takes me to update the series, but they're doing their best up here in the icy north to work me into the (equally icy) ground - I pulled 50 hours in the last five days alone, and when the cruise ships start coming (which will be tomorrow), it'll get even worse. But no worries, I'm not done with the series yet and there are quite a few fics still to come! Thanks for not giving up on me ^_^

_Hong Kong Shatterdome, December 24th 2022_

 

Hermann waits for the last page to come out of the printer, then he quickly looks through the papers to make sure everything is there. Once he's done, he puts them in the folder he has prepared for it and gets up, grabbing his cane from where it's leaning against his desk. 

One quick look across the lab shows Newton still working on that disgusting Kaiju lung he got this morning. He's bent over the dissection table, his glasses riding low on his nose and the headlamp switched on. He's up to his elbows _inside_ the organ, and he seems to find it not only interesting but utterly fascinating. His running commentary on what he's doing has been the background noise in the lab for the entire duration of the morning.

Hermann just shakes his head. He'll never understand how Newton can actually _like_ digging around in Kaiju remains. The man is crazy. 

"Newton." Hermann says it just loud enough to get his colleague's attention. "I'll go see the Marshal about the Breach estimations."

"Yeah, sure." Newton looks at him, but it feels like he's looking through Hermann. He's still caught up in his work and he's absent-mindedly waving his hand, which is holding something pinkish that Hermann doesn't even want to think about. "Have fun, man."

Hermann huffs out a breath and turns to leave the lab, the folder with his calculations and his reports in hand. The Marshall won't be too pleased with the outcome, but the numbers don't lie. And they tell him that things are getting worse. 

The way to the Marshal's office isn't that long, the locations of importance are housed in the same area of the Shatterdome. When Hermann gets there, he finds the door standing ajar. It's an unspoken invitation for people to come in and address issues, sort of unofficial open office hours, a tradition Pentecost introduced as soon as he became Marshal. 

Hermann still knocks on the heavy metal door before pushing it open, because he thinks that everything else would be highly impolite. To his total and absolute surprise he doesn't find the Marshal alone, sitting behind his desk, as it usually is the case when he leaves his door ajar. Instead, Hermann stares at Hercules Hansen who's staring right back, an equally surprised expression on is face. He's leaning with his entire body against the Marshal who in turn is leaning with his hip against his desk. They're holding hands, their fingers intertwined. It's quite clear that they were kissing right before Hermann came in. It must have been a pretty good kiss if they didn't even hear him knock on the door.

Hermann feels horrified. Terrified. Petrified. He can't move, just stares, his mouth hanging open in surprise and his eyes wide. Why does this have to happen to him? Why him? Why not Newton, who would just give a flippant comment and break the awkwardness of the situation within a heartbeat? But Hermann is not like that, he doesn't know what to say. He just stands there and stares at the Marshal and Ranger Hansen while his face does an impressive imitation of a fish on dry land. 

Pentecost and Hansen regain their composure before he does, and they move apart, but not hastily as if they're ashamed and have something to hide. Not that it would be of any use now, it's to late for that anyway. But Hermann gets the impression that that's not the reason, they never hid in the first place. Now that his brain slowly comes online again, Hermann can see it, clear as daylight. Of course the Marshal and Hansen are a couple, in fact, it's not surprising at all. He's just never given it a thought before... well, before _this_.

Hermann forces himself to avert his gaze, he really doesn't want to look at them right now. Anything is better than looking at them, so his gaze flickers through the Marshal's office in search of something neutral, something boring, something innocuous. He ends up looking at the desk, where a picture frame is standing, a simple but beautiful wooden piece, obviously handmade by a master of the craft. Hermann gets a glance of the picture it holds; it's a snapshot of Pentecost and Hansen wearing their drivesuits, Pentecost in black with Coyote Tango's logo on his arm, and Hansen in silver with Lucky Seven's logo on his chest. They're both smiling into the camera, their arms around each other, helmets in hand. Next to the frame lies discarded wrapping paper with little reindeer and Santas printed all over it, complete with a red bow. 

Ah, they were having their own little Christmas gift exchange. In private.

Almost private, that is. Hermann realises that they really must have just forgotten to close the door properly, and he wishes desperately that the ground would just open up and swallow him. How is he supposed to get out of this without embarrassing everybody in the room?

"Yes, Dr. Gottlieb?" Pentecost's voice is maybe a shade cooler that it usually is, and it takes Hermann a full second to regain his composure enough to reply. He feels the heat in his cheeks and desperately hopes that he doesn't look as flushed as he thinks he does. 

"Sir, I... ahm... I came to bring the estimation about the Breach development that you asked to receive as soon as I finished it." Hermann presses out and it takes a huge effort to actually look at the Marshal. "I knocked, and your door stood ajar as it usually does during office hours, so I just came in and..." 

"It's okay, Gottlieb." Ranger Hansen interrupts his rambling explanation and gives him a reassuring nod. Hermann is pretty sure that Hansen is trying to hide a smirk, but he doesn't intend to look close enough to find out. He just wants to get out of here as quickly as possible.

"Here are the reports, sir." Hermann says and holds out the folder he's been gripping so hard that there are dents in the cover. 

"Thank you, Dr Gottlieb." Pentecost gives a little nod when he takes the folder out of Hermann's hands, and he sounds a trace nicer than a minute ago. He obviously realised that it's not entirely Hermann's fault that they ended up in this highly embarrassing situation. If the door had been closed, if they'd heard his knock, if maybe he's just knocked a bit louder, or if he'd arrived ten minutes earlier or later or if...

"Anything else, Dr. Gottlieb?" the Marshall asks when Herman just stands rooted in place and doesn't move at all.

"No!" Hermann shakes himself out of his musings, realises he almost shouted the reply and tries again. "No, sir. That's all."

For a moment Hermann feels lost, then he decides that this is the perfect opportunity to get out of the office, out of this entire horrible situation. He gives a short, almost harsh nod to both the Marshal and Ranger Hansen. "Sir."

As quickly as he can without looking like he's running, Hermann retreats. When he gets out of the door, Hermann catches the unmistakable sound of Hansen chuckling with obvious amusement. "Now that was awkward."

Hermann hears the Marshal actually snort, but Hermann pushes the door shut behind him before he can hear his answer. Oh yes, that has indeed been awkward. At least the next person to come to the Marshal's office will have to knock louder and hopefully will be spared an equally embarrassing situation.

Hermann hurries down the hallway as fast as his leg allows and decides that he will never ever tell Newton about this encounter. He wouldn't let Hermann live it down. 

Ever.


End file.
